Clamp used in clamping plastic blocks together in plank construction



July 7, 1953 E. M. WILMER ET AL 2,644,497

CLAMP USED IN CLAMPING PLASTIC BLOCKS TOGETHER IN PLANK CONSTRUCTIONFiled Sept. 25. 1950 ATTORNEYS Patented July 7, 1953 V I U I EDIZSTA sAT-ENT OFFICE cLAMP USED" IN CLAMPING PLASTIC I BLOCKS TOGETHERSTRUCTION Emery 1N PLANK CON- M. Wilmer, Chillum, and William P. 4Hunter, Silver Spring, Md.

Application September 25, 1950, Serial No. 186,666

2 Claims. (01. 144 303 By way of explanation, itlmight be stated that inpresent day building construction, it is common practice to providefloor or roof supporting planks or beams constructed of blocks made of alight weight insulating aggregate, clamped together to provide thedesiredlength, the blocks V thereon.

being held in position by clamps for a period of time required toproperly setthe layer of concrete used in forming the fiooror roofsurface.

The clampscommonly used in clamping the rod used in conjunctionwith theclamps, are of a type including jaws which become inoperative due touse, and frequentlyjdistort or bend the rods with which they'are' used,makingit necessary to replace the rods and clamps. 4

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide aclampqand connecting rod designed for clamping/plastic blocks togetherin the formation of a 'plank or beam, which clamps may bereadilyoperated, eliminating the danger of distorting the clamps or rods usedwith V the clamps in tying the blocks together.

An important object of the invention isto provide a clamp of the typethat may be used with rods of standard lengths, the arrangement andconstruction of the component'parts of the clamp being such thattheclamp may besecured to the rod in the construction of a plank or beam'ofany desired length, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing rodsof various lengths in the construction of planks or beams of differentsizes.

Still another'object of the invention is to provide a clamp which may bereadily and easily positioned and one whichmay bereadily removed withoutdanger of damaging the clamp or rod or plank under construction.

With the foregoing and other'objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the

invention consists of. certain novel details of construction andcombinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed outin the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof the invention as claimed. 4 r I Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is aperspective view illustrating a series of blockspositioned side by side,one of the end plates having been removed and the connecting rod andclamp located for securing the end plates together.

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view through a group of blocksassembled inthe formation of a plank, with the clamp forming the subjectmatter of the present invention as positioned to hold the blockstogether.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through blocks, end plates and rodand clamp, the rod and clamp being clamped in relation with the blocksand end plates.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through therod illustrating the outer end ofthe clamp as positioned Referring to the drawing in detail, therefer-'ence character 5 indicates clamping. plates which are of lengths equalto the lengths of the blocks with which the clamping plates are used,the clamping plates being preferably. constructed of channel barmaterial with their open faces disposed outwardly, when in use. U

As shown, these clampingplates are provided With openings 6 which aredisposed centrally of I the plates and arranged above a line drawnlongitudinally through the centers of the plates, so

that the major portions of the plates are below the openings 6 so thatthe plates when clamped to the blocks will provide a support for the rodand clamp used therewith, balancing the plank constructed, lending toease in handling the plank. 1

These clamping plates are positioned at the ends of a line of blocks,which in thepresent showing are indicated by the reference character i,the blocks being formed with central openings 3 that align when theblocks are positioned side by side in the formation of a plank,thecentral openings accommodating the rod 9 forming a part of the clamp,constituting the subject matter of thepresent invention.

The. blocks are provided with semi-circular grooves 8 in one of therespective edges thereof, the grooves of adjacent blocks aligning toreceive the rods 9' that are cemented in place to, lend rigidity to thefinished product.

As clearly shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing, one end of the rod 9 issupplied with a threaded section it which is welded thereto, thethreaded sec- .ticn til accommodating the nut l which is moved intoclose contact with the clamping plate 5, associated therewith.

The opposite end of the rod 9 extends from the clamping plate '5 at theoppositeend of the row of blocks 'l used in the formation of the plankor beam, and this extended end of the rod 9 provides a support for thewedge indicated generally by the reference character [2. This wedgeembodies identical semi-coned shaped sections 13 fitted on oppositesides of the rod 9 directly opposite to each other, as clearly shown bythe drawing.

The tapered outer surface [4 of the wedge fits into the tapered cone 6of the plate 5 with which it is associated, and cooperates with the nutH fitted on the threaded rod 10 in clamping the blocks of the row ofblocks together.

Formed on the inner surfaces of the clamp sections are outwardlydisposed teeth 15 which are so arranged that when the rod 9 has beenproperly positioned and the clamp sections properly positioned bytapping the outer ends of the sections, the teeth will be caused to biteinto the outer surfaceof the rod 9, holding the clamp in position andinsuring a close fit between the various blocks used in the formationofthe plank.

In using the clamp forming the subject matter of the present invention,the clamping. plates are positioned at the ends of a column of blocks,

and the rod 9 is passed through the openings ofthe clamping plates andcentral openings of the blocks, the nut being moved into contact withthe clamping plate associated therewith.

The clamp sections 13 of the wedge 12 are now positioned on the rod '9in a manner as shown by Fig. 3, and the wedge sections 13 are tappedwith a tool such as a hammer driving the wedge. sections into theopening 6 associated therewith, whereupon the teeth. of the wedge biteinto the pipe and hold the clamping plates firmly in position at theends of the line-or column of blocks being assembled.

If necessary a wrench may be used after the positioning of the wedge 12,to tighten the nut to exert the desired pressure on the clamping platesagainst the ends of the blocks.

After the blocks together with the clamp, have been placed in theformation of a plank for a building structure, a number of such planksare i placed side by side providing a surface for supporting a layer ofplastic material such as concrete or the like in the formation of aflooring or roof.

After the plastic surfacing material has properly set, it is onlynecessary to back ofi nut H to space it from the clamping plateassociated therewith. The end of the rod 9 on which the nut H ispositioned, may now be tapped in the direction of the wedge 12, whichwill cause the wedge I2 lengths, eliminating the necessity of using and55 providing rods of a particular length for a particular length ofplank.

It will further be noted that the clamp, because of its rigidconstruction, may be used indefinitely without replacement, and theclamp may be used V without danger of the clamp slipping to release theblocks, during the formation of a plank or beam.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for temporarily clamping hollow building blocks togetherin a row in the formation of building planks, comprising plates havingopenings, fitted against the end blocks of such row of blocks, a rodhaving a threaded end, extending through the openings of said plates andopenings of the hollow blocks, a cone-shaped wedge slidably mounted onsaid rod, and positioned in the opening of one of said plates, said coneshaped wedge having means to lock on said rod, a nut on the threaded endof the rod bearing against the other plate, n sa d n t d conehap d mmber adapt d to c op ate in d aw n the plates towards each other clampng h ock of the .row of blocks together.

2. An apparatus for temporarily clamping hollow building blocks togetherin a row, in the formation of a building plank, comprising a rod, amember extending from the threaded end of said rod, plates havingopenings fitted against the end blocks of a row of blocks at oppositeends of the row of blocks, a sectional cone-shaped wedge having teeth,fitted around said rod directly opposite to each other, said wedge beingextended into an opening of one of said plates with a wedge fit, and anut on thethreaded member engaging with the plate at one end of the rowof blocks said not cooperating with said wedge in drawing said platesagainst the end blocks of the row of blocks clamping said blockstogether.

EMORY M. WILMER.

WILLIAM P. HUNTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 673,937 Zirckel May 14, 1901 1,091,260 Walker Mar. 24, 19141,413,015 Erickson Apr. 18, 1922 1,424,034 Rigert July 25, 19221,680,923 Williams Aug. 14, 1928 2,066,541 Schenk Jan. 5, 1937 2,075,633Anderegg Mar. 30, 1937 2,102,447 'Whitacre Dec. 14, 1937 2,172,461W'hitescarver Sept. 12, 1939 2,180,866 Cryer Nov. 21, 1939 2,184,137Brewer Dec. 19, 1939 2,395,656 'chatfield Feb. 26, 1946

